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Surgery for herniated discs after a car accident

One of the common types of injuries after a car accident is a bulging disc or herniated disc in the spine. After conservaitve treatment does not address the ongoing pain issues in the back or neck, another option for treatment would be surgery on the neck or back. These surgeries are painful and require significant time for rehabilitation. But in some cases, a back surgery or neck surgery may be the only hope for relief.

Types of Surgeries Used for Back Pain from Car Wrecks

There are several different types of surgery options when dealing with the back or neck. A medical professional is in a much better position to determine the appropriate type of surgery and to explain the numerous risks and benefits associated with a specific type of surgery. For people who have injured their neck or back in a car accident, some of the more common surgical treatments would include:

Discectomy: In this surgery, the herniated disc material is removed.

Laminectomy: The complete removal of the lamina (the bony part covering the spinal canal which runs down the length of the spine).

Laminotomy: This surgery requires that a portion of the lamina is shaved off to allow for a larger opening. This helps relieve pressure on any pinched nerves that are causing pain.

Spinal Fusion: This is the traditional surgery used to stablilize the spine. A surgeon removes the disc and the facet joints, places a bone graft in the space, and inserts screws, spacers and rods to hold everything in place.

Please note that this is not an exhaustive list. Also note that the descriptions are very generalized and the actual procedures and risks vary greatly. Those issues are best addressed with medical professionals.